Sunday Birding

After a Saturday spent digging post holes and repairing a sagging fence it was a treat to be cycling towards the Glenmore Reservoir this morning. Clear blue skies and mild temperatures had me wearing shorts for the first time this year, I had forgotten how enjoyable cycling can be when you are not wearing multiple layers of clothes. Migrants continue to return and newly arriving species are being reported almost everyday. Cycling along the reservoir west of Glenmore Sailing Club, I quickly relocated the Long-billed Curlew that had been found on Friday. The last of the 600+ Trumpeter and Tundra Swans that were staging at the reservoir had left on Saturday, while new migrants included Cinnamon Teal and both species of yellowlegs. Making my way to the Calgary Rowing Club on the north side of the reservoir, I spotted a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers preening on the water; distance and glare combined to result in less than stellar views of these scarce migrants. Stopping at a Tim Hortons for lunch on the way home, I found it amusing that the bike rack was located next to the drive-thru!